Oscillating piston engine



April 11, 1939. J. MORAWAY 2,154,315

OSCILLATING PISTON vENGINE Filed Dec. 2, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet l Y 5a 35 5a 56 2 5/ 52 I 6 5a 36 I I ea 33 Y 29 27 3/ INVENTOR.

JOHN MoRAwAY.

ATTORNEY April 11, 1939. J, MORAWAY OSCILLATING PISTON ENGINE Filed Dec. 2, 1955 S'Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

- L/OHN MORAWAY BY W 7 7% ATTORNEY OSCILLATING PISTON ENGINE 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec. 2 1935 INVENTOR.

A w A R 0 M N H O J mm W 4 m m T. T A

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Patented Apr. 11,1939

1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OSCVILLATING PISTON ENGINE John Moraway, San Francisco, Calif. Application December 2, 1935, Serial No. 52,487

3 Claims.

The invention relates to an engine having a plurality of pistons which oscillate as a unit in a plurality of cylinders.

A general object is to provide an improved and 5 simplified engine of the class described.

A more specific object is to provide an engine having four pistons which operate in pairs in arcuate cylinders which are separated by common cylinder head assemblies.

A further object is to provide cylinder head assemblies which provide valved intake and exhaust ports for the cylinders which terminate thereat.

' Another object is to provide for the ready and der head assemblies.

An added object is to provide the features of present invention in an internal combustion engine.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in the following description of a typical embodiment thereof, and in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an internal combustion engine embodying the features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the engine.

' '45 four pistons l2 are provided by a unitary elev, ment l3 for oscillation in different portions of a torical bore M which is provided within an engine block of suitable structure. In the presentstructure .the bore Ills provided by and between complementary engine block sections 15 and. I6 which are separable in the plane of the bore circle, The cylinder bore- I4 is particularly, shown as being of circular cross-section, and is partitioned bymean's of sector-shaped .and removable cylinindependent placement and removal of the cylin- I Figure 3 is a reverse side elevation of the en-' der head members I! which are diametrically opposite each other in the cylinder circle to define bore portions of like length between them. The cylinder head members ll provide cylinder ends for both bore portions, the faces of said ends being shown as radial to the cylinder circle and perpendicular to the cylinder bore thereat. The pistons l2 are operative in the end parts of the bore portions whereby said parts comprise the cylinders I and 2 and 3 and 4 of the engine.

The element 13 comprises a central cylindrical hub l8 from which mutually aligned radial arms l9 extend, and said element will hereinafter be referred to as a rotor. Arcuate cross-members 2| of less cross-section than the cylinder bore are carried at the extremities of the arms I9, and extend centrally within the said bore. The pistons l2 are carried at the extremities of the cross-members 2i in symmetrical arrangement with respect to the line of the arms l9. Said pistons are arranged to sealedly engage the cylinder bore l4 thereat and may be provided with sealing rings 22 for the purpose. As shown, the cross-members 2| and the arms [9 and the hub l8 and the pistons l2 comprise integral parts of a one-piece structure whereby to provide a particularly simple rotor assembly.

The head ends of the pistons l2 are radial to the cylinder circle and perpendicular to the cylinder bore thereat whereby they may be substantially parallel to the cylinder ends when they are closely adjacent thereto. The spacing of the cylinder ends in the cylinder circle is understood to determine the oscillation range of the pistons between the head assemblies ll, and so of the rotor. A cylindrical cavity 23 is defined within the engine block in coaxial relation with the rotor hub, and slots 24 extend between the cylinders and said cavity for receiving the rotor arms i9 therethrough to permit a full oscillation of the rotor for alternately disposing the pistons carried by the arms at the different cylinder ends.

At its opposite ends, the rotor hub I8 is engaged in suitable anti-friction ring bearings 25 which externally engage in sockets 26 provided for them in the block sections l5 and (6 whereby the rotor is .centered between the block sections for oscillation about a fixed axis. A shaft 21 extends axially from the rotor hub l8, and through and from the block section 15, to provide a power connection for the rotor. The shaft 2'! mounts a radial arm 28, and a connecting rod 29 extends from the free end of the arm 28 for swinging in a plane which is parallel to the plane of operation to the arm. A shaft 3i is journalled in the engine block with its axis parallel to that of the rotor, and carries a gear 32 at one extremity thereof and adjacent the plane of swinging of the connecting rod 29 whereby an end of the latter may be connected to a pin 33 which extends axially from the gear 32.

The connection provided between the rotor shaft 21 and the gear 32 is such that the oscil latory actuations of the rotor are arranged to aifect a rotation of the gear 32 in a constant direction, with the gear 32 having one complete revolution imposed on it for any two successive strokes of the pistons. It will be understood that the present arrangement is the operative equivalent of a crank connection for the shaft 3| wherein the gear 32 provides the crank arm and the pin 33 is a crank pin. It will be noted that the present driving connection for the gear 32 also prevents a striking of the cylinder ends by the pistons to determine the cylinder head clearance for the pistons.

The gear 32' meshes with a gear 34 which is carried on a. shaft 35 journalled at the bottom of the engine block. Since in the present instance, the gear 34 extends below the engine block, the latter is preferably mounted on a suitable frame base whereby the engine may overlie a supporting surface. As particularly illustrated, the intermediate base for the engine comprises a pair of channel members 36 which are bolted to the block at its under side and extend in lines parallel to the rotor axis, it being noted that the shaft 35 and the rotor axis lie in the same vertical plane. The shaft 35 is the power take-off shaft for the engine and may be suitably connected toa mechanism to be driven.

It will now be noted that the cylinder head assemblies H are engaged in radial openings which extend through the engine block from the inner cavity 23 to the exteriorof the block. Each said opening is defined between plane faces which are radial to the rotor axis and between mutually parallel plane faces which are perpendicular to such axis. The assemblies 51 each comprise generally wedge-shaped members 31 which provide the cylinder end walls, and a wedge member 38 which is normally engaged between the: members 31 to secure them in position. The cylinder end faces are provided by relatively short cylindric extensions 39 of the members 31, said extensions fitting the bore thereat to determine a centered positioning of the members at the cylinder ends. The mutually opposed faces of the associated pair of members 31 are planar for sliding and frictional engagement with complementary faces of the wedge 38; when the latter is forcibly engaged between the members 31 said members are positively secured in place.

Means are provided for releasably securing the head assemblies H in their appointed positions. The engine block cavity 23 is somewhat larger than the rotor hub i8 therein whereby an appreciable clearance space is defined about the hub, and the means for fixing each head assembly E1 in place includes an anchor plate 4|, which is arranged to engage the wall of the cavity 23 to span the inner end of the opening which receives the head assembly. The anchor plate 4| receives bolts 42 therethrough to extend outwardly therefrom and freely through bolt holes provided in the central planes of the Wedges 38, and said bolts threadedly and removably carry nuts 14 at their outer ends for bearing engagement with the outer faces of the wedges. In this manner, a tightening up of the nuts 44 on the bolts 42 is arranged to forcibly engage the wedge 48 between the head members 31 and so secure said members at the cylinder ends.

It will now be noted that the head members |1 provide the intake and exhaust passages for the cylinders. As is particularly brought out in Figures 4 and 6, each member 31 is provided with a valved passage 48 which extends transversely into it from the face of its portion 39 and thence longitudinally therein to its outer face; in the present instance the passages 45 are exhaust ports. Valved passages 46 extend transversely through the members 31 to a connection with a T-shaped passage 41 which has its stem portion extending longitudinally through the wedge to the outer end thereof; the passages 46 and 41 jointly define an intake port for the cylinder ends at each cylinder head assembly. While such are not shown, it will be understood that the exhaust and intake ports would be connected with suitable discharge and fuel supply ducts respectively.

As is particularly brought out in Figure 9, the Valves 48 and 49 for the passages 45 and 46 respectively are of a slide type having cylindric bodies which slidably and sealedly engage in bores provided laterally'through the members 31 and through the block section |6 in intersecting relation to the port passages 45 and 46. Each valve body is circumferentially grooved whereby the registration of the groove with the port passage intersected by the valve is operative to open the passage. Springs 53 and 54 are constantly operative between the inner ends of the valve bores and the valves 48 and 49 respectively to urge a disposal of the valves in an outward port-closing position; in this manner, the opening of a port at a valve requires an inward displacement of the valve against the resistance of a spring. Valve stems 5| and 52 extend integrally from the valves 43 and 49 respectively, and outwardly of the cylinder block l6.

Means are provided for actuating the various valves 48 and 49 to open the same at the proper times in an operative cycle for the various cylin ders to 4 inclusive. As particularly shown, brackets 55 and 56 extend integrally from the block section l6 and carry cam shafts 51 which mount. generally oval cams 58 for constant peripheral engagement with the outer valve stem ends. In the present instance, the engine is of the internal combustion four-stroke cycle type, and the shafts 51 are accordingly arranged to be driven at one half the rate of the shaft 3|, and from the latter shaft.

As illustrated, the bracket 56 mounts a vertical shaft 59 which carries a bevel gear 6| for engagement with a bevel gear 62 on the shaft 3|, the gear 6| having twice as many teeth as the gear 62. The shafts 51 mount bevel gears 63 which engage like-sized bevel gears 53 on the shaft 59 whereby the valve-operating cams 58 may be operative to displace the Valves to open position in appropriate synchronism with the operative cycles of the pistons. r

Means are provided for igniting explosive charges which have been compressed in the different cylinders, said means comprising spark plugs 66 of a usual structure which are connected in an electric circuit which includes a suitable timer 61 whereby the compressed charges may be ignited at the appropriate time. As particularly illustrated, the timer 61 is mounted on the bracket for the 'direct operation of its rotary cylinder bore I4 is shown as being generally cylindrical and may be cored out about said bore to provide a water jacket 68 therein. Threaded openings 69 and 18 at the top and bottom of the block section I6 provide pipe connections for the circulation of a cooling fluid through the water jacket 68. Although such is not shown, it will be understood that a suitable system for lubricating the valves and cylinders and various bearings would be provided in the operative engine.

It will now be noted that the various illustrations of the present engine show the various moving parts as disposed at mid-stroke for the pistons 12. By particular reference to Figure 6, wherein a clockwise movement of the rotor is indicated, it will be noted that the firing order for the cylinders is 1-2-3-4, and the operative conditions in the cylinders are exhaust-intakeexpansion-compression respectively; accordingly, the exhaust valve 48 is open for cylinder I, the intake valve 49 is open for cylinder 2, and all the valves 48 and 43 are closed.

It willbe understood that if the bevel gears 6| and 62 were of like size, the present engine would be operable with a two stroke cycle. In the latter case, the engine might also be actuated with steam or compressed air, the ignition system being then omitted.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. While I have described the features and the use of the device which I now consider to be a preferred embodiment of my invention, I desire to have it understood that the showing is primarily illustrative, and that such changes may be made as fall within the scope of the following claims. a

I claim:

1. A cylinder head structure for use in a toroidal cylinder engine of the oscillating piston type, wherein the head is disposed in a radial slot provided through the torus and having a side thereof defining a cylinder end, comprising a head member fittedly engaging said cylinder end to seal the cylinder bore thereat, a wedge member operative longitudinally in the slot and against the head member to secure the latter in its operative position, and releasable means directly coactive between the torus and the wedge member radially of the cylinder bore for disposing and securing the wedge member in its operative position.

2. A cylinder head structure for use in a toroidal cylinder engine of the oscillatory piston type, wherein the head is disposed in a radial slot provided in the torus and defining cylinder ends, comprising similar head members each fittedly engaging a said cylinder end to seal the cylinder bore thereat and presenting fiat and angularly related radial outer faces in mutual opposition, a wedge member complementarily fitting between said faces of the first members, and means directly cooperative between the torus and the wedge member to dispose and releasably secure the Wedge member in its operative position.

3. In a toroidal cylinder engine of the oscillatory piston type, an engine block having a torus portion thereof providing a torical cylinder bore and a laterally continuous slot of rectangular cross-section extending radially through said torus in intersecting relation to the bore therein to define cylinder ends which are perpendicular I to the line of the cylinder bore thereat, a wedgedly tapered cylinder head member engaged in said slot with its angularly related faces in sealed engagement with the cylinder ends, and a tension bolt operatively engaging between the head member and a point of the torus at its inner side and radially of in the line of the cylinder bore to urge and releasably maintain the operative engagement of the head member in the slot.

JOHN MORAWAY. 

